Tag Archives: Women in politics

Women are an integral part of the political process anywhere in the world including Nigeria and Benue State. Comprising of over 49% of the population of the Country, Women are a force in both number and impact in Nigeria. They have made remarkable contributions in all areas of our National life as exemplified by amazons like Dr. Dora Akunyili, Prof. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Mrs. Obi Ezekwesili, Prof. Grace Alele Williams etc. Closer home, women like Chief Elizabeth Ivase, Dr. Enyantu Ifene, Hon. Margaret Icheen etc. have contributed immensely in shaping the socio-political ecosystem in Benue State. Despite these recorded achievements, election of Women into key political positions remains at a very low level in the State. The 2018/19 general elections have not changed the narrative. In fact, things are getting worse going by the performance and conduct of the last primary elections in terms of Women participation.

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All general elections are preceded by a primary election which throws up candidates for different positions across the contesting political parties. Ahead of the 2019 general elections, party primaries were held, across political parties, between mid-September and first week of October 2018. However, a plethora of complaints show that the exercise left much to be desired in terms of Women participation especially in Benue State. Though there was a good turnout of women vying for office, few were able to clinch their party tickets. The State Governorship primaries featured no female aspirant this time, not on any party platform.

The National Assembly elections particularly, did not favor Women. For example, the Senatorial Primary Elections produced 1 female from Zone A of the State while the House of Representatives had about 5 candidates across all the political parties, of this number, only 1 was nominated as at the time of writing this report. These women and their constituencies are as follows:

Dorothy Mato – Vandeikya – APC – House of Representative

Mimi Orubibi – Kwande – APC – Senate

Other female aspirants lost out not because of lack of capacity but largely due to the age long discrimination against Women in party politics. For example, in the Kwande/ Ushongo Federal Constituency elections under the All Progressives Congress (APC), the only female candidate that was chosen by consensus vote due to the inconclusiveness of the elections owing to violence was substituted by the party big wigs because owing to gender considerations. That same situation obtained in Otukpo Federal Constituency Primary elections under the Peoples Democratic Party. The female candidate that was the choice of the delegates was supplanted by a male candidate that was the choice of Party chieftains at the top.

Female Aspirants to the State Assembly fared no better. Under some political parties, no election took place. The few that did were characterized by irregularities such as vote buying, violence, intimidation, hijacking and supplanting of party delegates, etc. In all these irregularities, Women were the worst hit. At the end of the day, only about 3 Women emerged as flag bearers for the State Assembly elections across the over 90 registered political parties that participated in the primary elections in Benue State and across Nigeria.

In view of the above therefore, one can say that, the 2019 general elections do not favor Women Human Rights judging from the precedents associated with the primaries. One strong point that resonates loudly is that Women Politicians are still being considered second class and subservient to their male colleagues. This is disappointing and sad because women are not being given the encouragement, opportunity and responsibility they deserve by their male counterparts. This is the situation even as global conversations and actions are again tilted towards Women Human Rights. The much-acclaimed affirmative action which cedes 35% of positions to Women of which Nigeria is a signatory to has been sidelined, to say the least. This is true in that so many of these women willingly came forth as party card carriers, showed interest to contest but were not nominated mostly based on gender issues.

Given the above scenario, therefore, we recommend the following:

That all Women Politicians who feel discriminated against and hard done by their parties at the just concluded primaries can challenge the status quo in Courts of law

That political party structures should review their policies towards female politicians and begin to see them as equal partners in progress instead of just making up party numbers

That the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should increase its monitoring of political Party primaries to protect vulnerable candidates, especially women

That Media and Civil Society should intensify their reportage and advocacy on Women Human rights with focus on the electoral process.

In conclusion one can truly state that the issue of Women Rights and political participation, rather than improve, seem to be waning. It’s been the same story since the inception of democracy in Nigeria in 1999. Despite their best efforts, very few women have been able to secure key elected posts in the country. According to LA research report on the last General Elections (2015), there was neither compliance with local, regional and international instruments aimed at promoting and protecting women’s rights and development nor an increase of women participation in the electoral process in comparison with the just concluded primary elections.

We believe that if women are carried along, they can act for themselves and influence development policies, actively participate in the political process and attempt to minimize factors in the justice system which negatively impact them.

Following the release of the names of all the Political Party Candidates cleared to run for the 2015 General Elections, Lawyers Alert’ conducted analysis of the list of Candidates with a view to finding out the level of women participation in the electoral process, as well as political parties’ compliance to Gender balancing in the allotment of offices.

The analysis is based on the following benchmark:

The total number of female contestants as against the male across all the parties, zones and states.

The percentage difference between the two across all offices and state.

Compliance to local, regional and international instruments that promotes and protects women rights and development.

The level of increase or otherwise of women participation in the electoral process in comparison with the last general elections 2011.

Table 1: Distribution of the total number of female candidates participating in the 2015 General Elections according to Political Parties at the States House of Assembly levels.

S/NO

POLITICAL PARTY

NO. OF CANDIDATES

1.

MPPP

25

2.

APC

24

3.

ACCORD

18

4.

PDP

18

5.

NCP

17

6.

LP

16

7.

SDP

16

8.

CPP

14

9.

ACPN

13

10.

ADC

12

11.

UPP

11

12.

PPA

10

13.

KOWA

9

14.

UDP

9

15.

NNPP

8

16.

PPN

6

17.

ACD

5

18.

APGA

5

19.

ID

5

20.

APA

4

21.

AD

4

22.

DPP

3

23.

AA

1

24.

PDM

1

25.

UPN

1

26.

PDC

1

Total no. of candidates

256

Table 2: Distribution of the total number of female candidates, States House of Assemblies participating in the 2015 General Elections according to the six (6) Geo-political zones.

S/NO

NAME OF ZONE

TOTAL NO. OF CANDIDATES

1.

SOUTH – EAST

80

2.

SOUTH – WEST

61

3.

SOUTH – SOUTH

35

4.

NORTH – CENTRAL

35

5.

NORTH – WEST

24

6.

NORTH – EAST

15

FCT

6

Total no. of candidates

256

Table 3: Distribution of the total number of female candidates participating in the 2015 General Elections, States House of Assemblies, according to the thirty-six (36) states of the federation.

S/NO

STATE

NO. OF CANDIDATES

1.

ABIA

7

2.

ADAMAWA

3

3.

AKWA – IBOM

6

4.

ANAMBRA

22

5.

BAUCHI

5

6.

BAYELSA

3

7.

BENUE

–

8.

BORNO

1

9.

CROSS RIVER

2

10.

DELTA

17

11.

EBONYI

9

12.

EDO

1

13.

EKITI

4

14.

ENUGU

25

15.

GOMBE

3

16.

IMO

17

17.

JIGAWA

2

18.

KADUNA

8

19.

KANO

2

20.

KATSINA

1

21.

KEBBI

3

22.

KOGI

3

23.

KWARA

14

24.

LAGOS

12

25.

NASSARAWA

4

26.

NIGER

6

27.

OGUN

10

28.

ONDO

8

29.

OSUN

21

30.

OYO

6

31.

PLATEAU

8

32.

RIVERS

6

33.

SOKOTO

5

34.

TARABA

–

35.

YOBE

3

36.

ZAMFARA

3

FCT

6

Total no. of candidates

256

Table 4: Distribution of the total number of female candidates participating in the 2015 General Elections, States Houses of Assembly, against the number of male candidates according to the thirty-six (36) states of the federation.

S/NO

STATE

NO. OF FEMALE CANDIDATES

NO. OF MALE CANDIDATES

DIFFERENCE

1.

ABIA

7

37

-20

2.

ADAMAWA

3

42

-39

3.

AKWA – IBOM

6

27

-21

4.

ANAMBRA

22

72

-50

5.

BAUCHI

5

39

-34

6.

BAYELSA

3

17

-14

7.

BENUE

–

35

-35

8.

BORNO

1

33

-32

9.

CROSS RIVER

2

26

-24

10.

DELTA

17

45

-28

11.

EBONYI

9

21

-12

12.

EDO

1

35

-34

13.

EKITI

4

21

-17

14.

ENUGU

25

33

-8

15.

GOMBE

3

24

-21

16.

IMO

17

76

-59

17.

JIGAWA

2

32

-30

18.

KADUNA

8

55

-47

19.

KANO

2

92

-90

20.

KATSINA

1

56

-55

21.

KEBBI

3

41

-39

22.

KOGI

3

31

-29

23.

KWARA

14

34

-20

24.

LAGOS

12

77

-65

25.

NASSARAWA

4

21

-17

26.

NIGER

6

26

-20

27.

OGUN

10

44

-34

28.

ONDO

8

36

-28

29.

OSUN

21

47

-26

30.

OYO

6

80

-74

31.

PLATEAU

8

25

-17

32.

RIVERS

6

50

-44

33.

SOKOTO

5

94

-84

34.

TARABA

–

24

-24

35.

YOBE

3

12

-9

36.

ZAMFARA

3

42

-39

FCT

6

16

-10

256

1,518

Table 5: Distribution of the total number of female candidates participating in the 2015 General Elections, States House of Assemblies, against the number of male candidates according to the percentage difference across the thirty-six (36) states.

S/NO

STATE

PERCENTAGE (%)

1.

ABIA

15.9

2.

ADAMAWA

6.6

3.

AKWA – IBOM

18.1

4.

ANAMBRA

23.4

5.

BAUCHI

11.3

6.

BAYELSA

15

7.

BENUE

–

8.

BORNO

2.9

9.

CROSS RIVER

7.1

10.

DELTA

27.4

11.

EBONYI

30

12.

EDO

2.7

13.

EKITI

16

14.

ENUGU

43.1

15.

GOMBE

11.1

16.

IMO

18.2

17.

JIGAWA

5.8

18.

KADUNA

12.6

19.

KANO

2.1

20.

KATSINA

1.7

21.

KEBBI

6.8

22.

KOGI

8.8

23.

KWARA

29.1

24.

LAGOS

13.4

25.

NASSARAWA

16

26.

NIGER

18.7

27.

OGUN

18.5

28.

ONDO

18.8

29.

OSUN

30.8

30.

OYO

6.9

31.

PLATEAU

24.2

32.

RIVERS

10

33.

SOKOTO

5.0

34.

TARABA

–

35.

YOBE

20

36.

ZAMFARA

6.6

FCT

27.2

Table 6: House of Representatives: Distribution of the total number of female candidates participating in the 2015 General Elections under each political party across the thirty-six (36) states.

S/NO

STATE

POLITICAL PARTY

NO. OF CANDIDATE

1.

ABIA

LP

UPP

APC

PDP

2

2

1

2

2.

ADAMAWA

PPN

LP

APC

1

1

1

3.

AKWA – IBOM

ACCORD

6

4.

ANAMBRA

UPP

PPA

ACCORD

ACD

ADC

NNPP

APGA

APC

PDP

3

1

7

2

2

1

2

3

1

5.

BAUCHI

APA

MPPP

2

3

6.

BAYELSA

PDP

APC

1

2

7.

BENUE

–

–

8.

BORNO

APC

1

9.

CROSS RIVER

ID

APC

1

1

10.

DELTA

UPP

ACCORD

PPN

PDP

MPPP

APC

ID

ACPN

APA

ACD

2

1

1

1

4

1

1

1

1

1

11.

EBONYI

APC

NCP

ACPN

LP

1

2

5

1

12.

EDO

ACD

1

13.

EKITI

ACPN

PDC

APC

2

1

1

14.

ENUGU

UDP

KOWA

PDP

APC

SDP

CPP

PPA

MPPP

APA

7

7

1

3

1

1

3

1

1

15.

GOMBE

ADC

PDP

APC

1

1

1

16.

IMO

APGA

PPN

MPPP

ACCORD

PDP

APC

UPP

NCP

LP

ID

SDP

2

1

2

4

1

1

1

1

2

1

1

17.

JIGAWA

PDP

NCP

1

1

18.

KADUNA

UPP

PPA

ADC

PDP

LP

1

1

3

1

2

19.

KANO

NCP

PDM

1

1

20.

KATSINA

PDP

1

21.

KEBBI

CPP

APGA

NNPP

1

1

1

22.

KOGI

UPP

LP

AA

1

1

1

23.

KWARA

PPN

ADC

SDP

CPP

APC

NNPP

NCP

ACPN

2

2

4

2

1

1

1

1

24.

LAGOS

LP

KOWA

SDP

MPPP

CPP

PDP

PPA

AD

1

1

1

4

1

1

1

2

25.

NASSARAWA

ADC

PPA

LP

1

1

1

26.

NIGER

NCP

SDP

2

4

27.

OGUN

UDP

DPP

ACD

ACPN

SDP

UPN

PDP

2

2

1

1

2

1

1

28.

ONDO

PPA

ACPN

PDP

LP

APC

1

3

1

2

1

29.

OSUN

ID

CPP

NNPP

SDP

NCP

MPPP

APC

PPA

1

6

4

1

4

3

1

1

30.

OYO

PDP

DPP

KOWA

SDP

3

1

1

1

31.

PLATEAU

MPPP

APC

6

1

32.

RIVERS

LP

SDP

ID

APC

3

1

1

1

33.

SOKOTO

NCP

CPP

AD

PPA

PPN

1

1

1

1

1

34.

TARABA

35.

YOBE

NCP

APC

2

1

36.

ZAMFARA

NNPP

UPP

NCP

1

1

1

FCT

CPP

MPPP

AD

NCP

2

2

1

1

Total of no. of candidates

256

Table 7: Distribution of the total number of female senatorial candidates participating in the 2015 General Elections according to Political Parties.

S/NO

POLITICAL PARTY

NO. OF CANDIDATES

1.

MPPP

15

2.

ACCORD

9

3.

KOWA

8

4.

APC

7

5.

ID

7

6.

UDP

7

7.

PPA

6

8.

LP

6

9.

NNPP

6

10.

PDP

6

11.

ADC

6

12.

UPP

5

13.

CPP

5

14.

PPN

5

15.

SDP

4

16.

ACD

3

17.

DPP

3

18.

NCP

2

19.

APA

2

20.

ACPN

2

21.

APGA

1

22.

AA

1

23.

PDM

1

24.

PDC

1

25.

AD

–

26.

UPN

–

Total no. of candidates

119

Table 8: Distribution of the total number of female senatorial candidates participating in the 2015 General Elections according to the six (6) Geo-political zones.

S/NO

NAME OF ZONE

TOTAL NO. OF CANDIDATES

1.

SOUTH – WEST

30

2.

SOUTH – EAST

29

3.

SOUTH – SOUTH

23

4.

NORTH – CENTRAL

16

5.

NORTH – WEST

9

6.

NORTH – EAST

8

FCT

4

Total no. of candidates

119

Table 9: Distribution of the total number of female senatorial candidates participating in the 2015 General Elections according to the thirty-six (36) states of the federation.

S/NO

STATE

NO. OF CANDIDATES

1.

ABIA

1

2.

ADAMAWA

5

3.

AKWA – IBOM

3

4.

ANAMBRA

8

5.

BAUCHI

1

6.

BAYELSA

2

7.

BENUE

–

8.

BORNO

1

9.

CROSS RIVER

3

10.

DELTA

12

11.

EBONYI

2

12.

EDO

–

13.

EKITI

1

14.

ENUGU

9

15.

GOMBE

–

16.

IMO

9

17.

JIGAWA

–

18.

KADUNA

2

19.

KANO

1

20.

KATSINA

–

21.

KEBBI

–

22.

KOGI

2

23.

KWARA

7

24.

LAGOS

10

25.

NASSARAWA

–

26.

NIGER

2

27.

OGUN

10

28.

ONDO

–

29.

OSUN

8

30.

OYO

2

31.

PLATEAU

5

32.

RIVERS

3

33.

SOKOTO

4

34.

TARABA

1

35.

YOBE

–

36.

ZAMFARA

2

FCT

4

Total no. of candidates

119

Table 10: Distribution of the total number of female senatorial candidates participating in the 2015 General Elections against the number of male candidates according to the thirty-six (36) states of the federation.

S/NO

STATE

NO. OF FEMALE CANDIDATES

NO. OF MALE CANDIDATES

DIFFERENCE

1.

ABIA

1

20

-19

2.

ADAMAWA

5

17

-12

3.

AKWA – IBOM

3

9

-6

4.

ANAMBRA

8

34

-26

5.

BAUCHI

1

14

-13

6.

BAYELSA

2

8

-6

7.

BENUE

–

10

-10

8.

BORNO

1

18

-17

9.

CROSS RIVER

3

9

-6

10.

DELTA

12

23

-11

11.

EBONYI

2

16

-14

12.

EDO

–

16

-10

13.

EKITI

1

12

-11

14.

ENUGU

9

18

-9

15.

GOMBE

–

12

-12

16.

IMO

9

26

-17

17.

JIGAWA

–

11

-11

18.

KADUNA

2

16

-14

19.

KANO

1

20

-19

20.

KATSINA

–

13

-13

21.

KEBBI

–

25

-25

22.

KOGI

2

20

-18

23.

KWARA

7

22

-15

24.

LAGOS

10

10

-0

25.

NASSARAWA

–

16

-16

26.

NIGER

2

14

-12

27.

OGUN

10

19

-9

28.

ONDO

–

20

-20

29.

OSUN

8

22

-14

30.

OYO

2

16

-14

31.

PLATEAU

5

7

-2

32.

RIVERS

3

15

-12

33.

SOKOTO

4

40

-36

34.

TARABA

1

12

-11

35.

YOBE

–

7

-7

36.

ZAMFARA

2

36

-34

FCT

4

7

-3

Table 11: Distribution of the total number of female senatorial candidates participating in the 2015 General Elections against the number of male candidates according to the percentage difference across the thirty-six (36) states.

S/NO

STATE

PERCENTAGE (%)

1.

ABIA

5.0

2.

ADAMAWA

29.4

3.

AKWA – IBOM

33.3

4.

ANAMBRA

23.5

5.

BAUCHI

7.2

6.

BAYELSA

25.0

7.

BENUE

–

8.

BORNO

5.5

9.

CROSS RIVER

33.3

10.

DELTA

52.2

11.

EBONYI

12.5

12.

EDO

–

13.

EKITI

8.5

14.

ENUGU

50.0

15.

GOMBE

–

16.

IMO

34.6

17.

JIGAWA

–

18.

KADUNA

12.5

19.

KANO

5.0

20.

KATSINA

–

21.

KEBBI

–

22.

KOGI

10.0

23.

KWARA

31.8

24.

LAGOS

50.0

25.

NASSARAWA

–

26.

NIGER

14.2

27.

OGUN

52.6

28.

ONDO

–

29.

OSUN

36.4

30.

OYO

12.5

31.

PLATEAU

71.4

32.

RIVERS

20.0

33.

SOKOTO

10.0

34.

TARABA

8.3

35.

YOBE

–

36.

ZAMFARA

5.5

FCT

57.2

Table 12: Distribution of the total number of female candidates participating in the 2015 General Elections under each political party cross the thirty-six (36) states.